2014 Lito Sora Electric Motorcycle Entering Production

Thu, 20 Feb 2014

Canadian company Lito Green Motion announced the start of production for its SORA electric motorcycle. Described as a cafe racer with a bobber twist, the Lito SORA claims a top speed of 118 mph and a range of 124 miles in the city and more than 52 miles at highway speeds.

Visually, the Lito SORA stands out from other electric motorcycles. Its silhouette looks a bit like the DucatiDiavel but with a tailless bobber-style floating seat. But with a long charge time and a hefty price of $48,500 Canadian (US$43,690), Lito might have trouble drawing customers.

The SORA is powered by a liquid-cooled three-phase AC induction motor claiming 66.7 ft-lb. of torque. Power is transferred to the rear wheel through a belt final drive and continuously variable transmission.

The lithium-polymer battery pack can store 12 kWh of power, but charge time is a disappointingly long nine hours. Lito tries to mitigate this with regenerative braking and what it calls a Safe Range System which manages the energy usage based on the rider’s inputted destination. Still, nine hours is a long time to wait for a full charge.

The 43mm upside-down fork is fully adjustable and offers 125mm of travel. The rear suspension is preload-adjustable with 127mm of travel. Four-piston calipers grip the dual 310mm front brake discs while the 250mm rear disc is gripped by a two-piston caliper.

One unique feature is an electrically-adjustable seat that can shift from a low of 29.5 inches to a maximum height of 33.5 inches at the press of a button. Those who are especially longer or shorter of leg will appreciate the adjustable seat while those with an average height can adjust the seat low for highway cruising or high for city riding.

Other features include an integrated GPS, 5.7 inch LCD touch screen and USB port.

The Lito Sora will make its official world premiere Feb. 28 at the Montreal Motorcycle Show.